Safety ski binding



June 22; 1965 WIEDERMANN 3,190,667

SAFETY SKI BINDING Filed Feb. 13, 1963 Sheets-Sheet I nwsmoe:

ANTON WIEDERMHNN B7 mom/i 61 W, 4mm.

June 22, 1965 A. WIEDERMANN 3,190,667 SAFETY SKI BINDING Fil ed Feb. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ANTON W! EDER MANN United States Patent C) SAFETY SKI BINDING Anton Wiedermann, Bad-Gastein, Austria, assignor to Wiener Metallwarenund Schnallenfabrik Scher- Smoika, Schwechat, Austria Filed Feb. 13, 1963, Ser.No. 258,208 Claims priority,'application Austria, Feb. 21, 1962,

3 Claims. (Cl. 280-1155) The invention relates to a safety binding lever whereby the-safety release is operated by a lever system moved by the tension of the'cable.

For an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the acompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation View of one embodiment of safety ski binding in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view illustrating a modified form of the embodiment of the safety ski binding shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial side elevation views illustrating two different forms of an embodiment of theinvention in which the safety ski binding may be released by operating a release member with a ski pole or the like;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial side elevation views illustrat ing a further embodiment of the invention in which release of the binding is effected by means of an intermediate pivoted member; and

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevation view illustrating a further modified form of safety ski binding in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a binding lever is illustrated at 1 in the closed or locking position. The same is pivoted in known manner at 8 to the carriage 3 slideable on rails 2. The spring 4 is likewise connected to the carriage 3 by way of the spindle 5 and the knurled-head screw 6. There is an extension 7 provided on the binding lever 1 which extension enables the applying of a ski stick for an easy closing of the lever. Traction plate means 10 are pivoted to the binding lever at the pivots 9. They are used here as part of the release mechanism. The mode of action of this release is very simple. When overstretching the spring 4 by excessive tension of the cable the extension, or abutment means, 11 connected with the traction plates 10 engages the stop, or abutment means, 13 which is preferably adjustable (but might be also elastic). The tension of the cable linked at 14 to the traction plates 10 gives a pitching moment after the engagement of the extension 11 with the stop 13. The moment brings the pivots 9 above the position of the pivot 8 and opens thus the binding lever. By means of an adjusting screw 12 the optimum positions of the pivot and lever points respectively, are adjustable.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment where the traction plates are provided as a multi-articula'ted system 16. The mode of action is similar to the embodiment described in FIG. 1. The stop 13 is shown here to be adjustable by an adjusting screw 17.

FIG. 3 shows a bell crank lever 18 pivoted at 8. If the carriage 3 is moved in the direction of the tension of the cable the extension 11 on the lever 18 engages the stop 13 The bell crank lever engages, from below, the binding lever 1 with the arm 23, here at pivots 9. If the tension of the cable is continued the bell crank lever turns and pushes the pivots 9 above the position of the center of rotation 8, whereby the binding lever is opened. Preferably the bell crank lever is provided with an elongation which juts, together. with the extension 19, beside or over the binding lever. If the extension 19 is pressed "ice down, the binding lever can easily be opened with the ski stick. This is especially advantageous if the skier has fallen in an unfavorable position and cannot reach the binding lever with his hand. In this case the ski stick may be used for opening the binding lever. A damping means 20 avoids a too heavy impingement of the binding lever after release of the spring tension. The traction plates 10 are provided with an extension 24 preferably adjustable in height, and with a roller 21 which allows the position of the dead center to be adjusted. 22 indi cates an adjusting scale wherefrom the respective release way or the release force can be pre-set.

FIG, 4 shows another arrangement of the bellcrank lever 18'. Here the same is pivoted at 25 and carries an extension 11 The adjustable stop 13 is here mounted on the binding lever 1. This arrangement has the advantage that the crank lever turns upwards about point 25 when parts 13 and 11 contact each other, whereby an immediate release takes place. 19' is once again the extension for opening the binding lever. In co-operation with the extension 7 shown in FIG. 1, a binding lever is provided which is very easy to be opened and to be closed resp., which lever may be actuated by the skier by way of the ski stick, only. This is of a special advantage if the skier has for instance a heavy load attached to his back, or if he wants for one reason or the other to avoid bending down for handling the binding lever. The ad vantage of an easy opening in case of an unfavorable fall has already been pointed above. 20' and 21 are once again the damping means andthe roller described'with regard to FIG. 3.

Selectively the stop 13 or the stop 11 may be adjustable. The pivot 25 can be adjustable in its height.

FIG. 5: Here a lever 26 is pivoted at 27 to the traction plates 10. By means 14, the cable 15 is connected, preferably pivotable, with the lever 26. If the extension 11 comes into contact with stop 13 the tension becomes effective at point 27 on the traction plates. If this point is beyond the center of rotation 8 of the binding lever, an instant opening of the lever is effected.

FIG. 6: The safety release is here effected by a lever 28 wherein the joint 14 of the cable 15, which is here provided preferably as a roller, is guided in a slot 29 in a lever 28. The lever 28 is pivoted at 30 on the plates 10 If the cable is moved the extension 11 rests upon the stop 13 which here is provided as a roll. By a further movement in the direction of the cable, and by the rotation of the lever 28 effected thereby, the slot comes into an inclined position and the roller 14 slides upwards in the slot 29. The direction of tension of the cable through the traction plates to the binding lever 1 thus runs higher than the center of rotation 8, whereby the binding lever opens automatically. 31 is a claw-like extension which is placed over stops 13 when closing the binding lever. Thereby a rotation of the lever 28 is effected beyond the center of rotation 30 and the roller 14 slidesback in the slot 29 to the lowest position (home position). 32 and 33 are correspondingly arranged limits for the lever 28.

Numerals marked with in FIG. 6 show the end position of the lever just before the binding lever 1 opens.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the binding lever. Here the bearing block 34 of the binding lever is screwed directly to the ski. The spring 41 is arranged between cable 15 and traction plates 10 If the spring is overloaded, the extension 11 comes in contact with the stop 13 The same is connected with the release lever 39 by way of a device 3536 and the structure 37. The release lever 39 is provided as an eccentric, for instance. The release lever is pivoted at 40 and is articulated with the extension 38. If the motion of the spring is continued in the direction of the cable,

this eifects a turning of the eccentric cam 39 which pushes the binding lever 1 over the dead center position.

The invention is not restricted to the shown embodiments. The mentioned characteristics of the embodimentscan be used in any other structure, as these release systems can be arranged even with binding levers closed in the reverse sense with respect to the shown schematic constructions, and the arrangement is analogous to the reversed direction of motion.

It is always essential that a lever system becomes effective by the tension of the cable (through the stops), which operates the safety release of the binding lever.

By means of a clamping plate fixed to a spindle, for instance, the binding lever may be locked in its closed position against accidental opening.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety ski binding operable, upon increased tension on a binding cable, to release all tension on the binding cable, comprising, in combination, guide rails; a carriage slidable on said rails; spring means biasing said carriage toward one end of said rails; a binding lever having a pivot end pivoted to said carriage and having a free end extending toward said one end of said rails in the binding tensioning position of said lever, said lever being swingable away from said rails to release tension on the binding; traction plate means pivoted at one end to said binding lever between the ends of the latter and having an opposite end connected to the binding cable; said lever and said traction plate means constituting a toggle joint with the pivot of said traction plate means, in the locking position of said lever, being nearer to said rails than is the pivot of said lever; cooperating abutment means positioned nearer said rails than are said pivots, one abutment means being movable with said lever responsive to cable tension and the other abutment means having a mounting fixed relative to said rails; said abutment means being spaced out of engagement during normal tension on said cable with said binding lever in the locking position; said abutment means being interengageable upon increased or abnormal tension on the cable to form a pivot point, spaced longitudinally from the pivot of said traction plate means, for effecting movement of said pivot of said traction plate means outwardly relative to said rails and outwardly of the pivot of said lever to swing said lever to the binding release position and an intermediate lever pivotally suspended at one end on said traction plate means; said cable being secured to said intermediate lever between the ends of the latter; said one abutment means being formed on the free end of said lever.

2. A safety ski binding, as claimed in claim 1, in which said intermediate lever is pivoted at one end to said traction plate means; the binding cable being secured to said intermediate lever intermediate the ends of the latter.

3. A safety ski binding, as claimed in claim 2, in which the other abutment means comprises a latch pivotally secured at one end to the ski and extending toward the free end of said intermediate lever, the free end of said latch being formed for interengament with the free end of said intermediate lever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,793,046 5/57 Eckel 280-11.35 3,012,793 12/61 Beyl 280-1135 3,151,874 10/64 Schweizer 280ll.34

FOREIGN PATENTS 310,270 12/55 Switzerland. 538,351 1/56 Italy. 1,034,246 4/53 France. 1,115,441 4/53 France. 1,191,409 4/59 France. 1,212,732 10/59 France.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SAFETY SKI BINDING OPERABLE, UPON INCREASED TENSION ON A BINDING CABLE, TO RELEASE ALL TENSION ON THE BINDING CABLE, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, GUIDE RAILS; A CARRIAGE SLIDABLE ON SAID RAILS; SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID CARRAIGE TOWARD ONE END OF SAID RAILS; A BINDING LEVER HAVING A PIVOT END PIVOTED TO SAID CARRIAGE AND HAVING A FREE END EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID RAILS IN THE BINDING; TRACTION PLATE MEANS PIVOTED AT ONE END BEING SWINGABLE AWAY FROM SAID RAILS TO RELEASE TENSION ON THE BINDING; TRACTION PLATE MEANS PIVOTED AT ONE END TO SAID BINDING LEVER BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE LATTER AND HAVING AN OPPOSITE END CONNECTED TO THE BINDING CABLE; SAIF LEVER AND SAID TRACTION PLATE MEANS CONSTITUTING A TOGGLE JOINT WITH THE PIVOT OF SAID TRACTION PLATE MEANS, IN THE LOCKING POSITION OF SAID LEVER, BEING NEARER TO SAID RAILS THAN IS THE PIVOT OF SAID LEVER; COOPERATING ABUTMENT MEANS POSITIONED NEARER SAID REALS THAN ARE SAID PIVOTS, ONE ABUTMENT MEANS BEING MOVABLE WITH SAID LEVER RESPONSIVE TO CABLE TENSION AND THE OTHER ABUTMENT MEANS HAVING A MOUNTING FIXED RELATIVE TO SAID RAILS; SAID ABUTMENT MEANS BEING SPACED OUT OF ENGAGEMENT DURING NORMAL TENSION ON SAID CABLE WITH SAID BINDING LEVER IN THE LOCKING POSITION; SAID ABUTMENT MEANS BEING INTERENGAGEABLE UPON INCREASED OR ABNORMAL TENSION ON THE CABLE TO FORM A PIVOT POINT, SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE PIVOT OF SAID TRACTION PLATE MEANS, FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID PIVOT OF SAID TRACTION PLATE MEANS OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID RAILS AND OUTWARDLY OF THE PIVOT OF SAID LEVER TO SWING SAID LEVER TO THE BINDING RELEASE POSITION AND AN INTERMEDIATE LEVER PIVOTALLY SUSPENDED AT ONE END ON SAID TRACTION PLATE MEANS; SAID CABLE BEING SECURED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE LATTER; SAID ONE ABUTMENT MEANS BEING FORMED ON THE FREE END OF SAID LEVER. 